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Stunning new pictures released by the BBC give a preview of what to expect from a new Bronte drama which will be aired this Christmas.

To Walk Invisible tells the story of the three remarkable sisters, who came from obscurity to produce some of the greatest novels in the English language.

The sisters - Charlotte, Emily and Anne - had many connections to West Yorkshire. While they were born in Thornton, Bradford, and lived in the now-famous parsonage in Haworth, they also had links to Calderdale and Kirklees.

The one-off drama was filmed locations across Yorkshire earlier in the year and their Haworth home was created for the BBC drama on a hill overlooking the town.

It has been written and directed by Bronte enthusiast Sally Wainwright (Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax), who was born and brought up in the Calder Valley.

She said: “I am honoured the BBC asked me to bring to life this fascinating family in a story set in the heart of West Yorkshire, a place which means so much to me.

“This is such an exciting and ambitious project. Something about the lives of these three brilliant, talented Yorkshire women seems to touch people at a very deep level.”

It stars Jonathan Pryce (Wolf Hall, Game of Thrones) as the Bronte sisters’ father Patrick. Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights, is played by Chloe Pirrie (An Inspector Calls, War & Peace). Finn Atkins (Vera, Common) plays older sister Charlotte, author of Jane Eyre. Charlie Murphy (The Last Kingdom, Happy Valley) plays younger sister Anne, who wrote Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Their brother Branwell is played by Adam Nagaitis (Banished, Happy Valley).

Poet Simon Armitage is to become a creative partner with the Brontë Parsonage to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Branwell Brontë in 2017 and his sister Emily in 2018.

The Parsonage has been awarded £97,702 by Arts Council England to support activities for the celebration.

Mr Armitage, from Mardsen near Huddersfield, said he was looking forward to the project.

He said: “Branwell’s early promise and swaggering enthusiasm was ultimately overshadowed by the talents of his siblings, but even before then he appears to have lost his boyish optimism and fighting spirit, and I’ve found it impossible not be saddened by his disillusionment and decline.”

The Parsonage will feature in the drama on BBC1 on Thursday, December 29, at 9pm.

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